Chewing gum is banned in Singapore under the "Regulation of Imports and Exports (Chewing Gum) Regulations." Except for chewing gum of therapeutic value, the "importing" of chewing gum into Singapore is absolutely banned.

A common misconception among citizens is that personal use quantities of chewing gum are allowed into Singapore. However, according to the set of Regulations, "importing" means to "bring or cause to be brought into Singapore by land, water or air from any place which is outside Singapore ..." any goods, even if they are not for purposes of trade. The set of Regulations also does not make any provisions for personal use quantities to be brought into Singapore. Therefore, bringing chewing gum into Singapore, even small quantities for whatever purpose, is technically prohibited.[

In his memoirs[2], Lee Kuan Yew recounted that as early as 1983, when he was still serving as Prime Minister, a proposal for the ban was brought up to him by the Minister for National Development. Chewing gum was causing serious maintenance problems in high-rise public housing flats, with vandals disposing of spent gum in mailboxes, inside keyholes and even on elevator buttons. Chewing gum left on floors, stairways and pavements in public areas increased the cost of cleaning and damaged cleaning equipment. Gum stuck on the seats of public buses was also considered a problem. However, Lee thought that a ban would be "too drastic" and did not take action.

In 1987, the S$5 billion metro system, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), began operations. It was then the largest public project ever implemented in Singapore, and expectations were high. One of the champions of the project, Ong Teng Cheong, who later became the first democratically-elected President, declared," …the MRT will usher in a new phase in Singapore's development and bring about a better life for all of us."

It was then reported that vandals had begun sticking chewing gum on the door sensors of MRT trains, preventing the door from functioning properly and causing disruption of train services. Such incidents were rare but costly and culprits were difficult to apprehend. In January 1992, Goh Chok Tong, who had just taken over as Prime Minister, decided on a ban. The restriction on the distribution of chewing gum was enacted in Singapore Statute Chapter 57, the Control of Manufacture Act, which also governs the restriction of alcohol and tobacco.

In the mid 1990s, Singapore’s forbidding laws began to receive intense international coverage and attention from civil rights activists. The U.S. media sensationalised the case of Michael P. Fay, the American teenager who was sentenced to caning in Singapore for vandalism (spray paint, not chewing gum). They also zeroed in on Singapore’s other peculiar laws, including the "mandatory flushing in public toilets" ruling. It was around this time that Singapore developed its infamous "nanny state" image, where the movements of every citizen are constantly scrutinised and dictated by the government. A common joke is that Singapore is a "fine" country, a jibe at the excessive number of fines Singapore imposes for acts like jaywalking. Many in the outside world saw laws such as the ban on chewing gum as excessively aggressive and even autocratic.[citation needed]

Singapore leaders responded by arguing that as a sovereign state, Singapore had the rights to formulate its own policies based on its own unique political and cultural values.[citation needed] Besides, they argued, these policies would result in greater overall benefits for the country. When a BBC reporter suggested that overly draconian laws would stifle the people's creativity, Lee Kuan Yew retorted: "If you can't think because you can't chew, try a banana."[3]

The image of Singapore as an uptight, stiff-necked republic continues to be widely upheld and gleefully lampooned by foreigners.[citation needed] This is despite a concentrated effort by the government to portray Singapore in a more favourable light.[citation needed] The recent loosening of the ban on chewing gum is part of these efforts.